Very Rough Justice

Updated May 22, 2006 12:01 a.m. ET

Let's all admit it. Across the country last week, millions of Americans were indulging in Schadenfreude -- the enjoyment of another's misfortune -- at the indictment of class-action tort giant Milberg Weiss. Yet even the many victims of Milberg Weiss should think twice about cheering the Justice Department's blunderbuss tactic of indicting the entire law firm.

The 102-page indictment out of the Los Angeles U.S. Attorney's office is a remarkable account of mass-tort corruption that has long been suspected by anyone paying...